Interchangeable front and rear drive axle



Dec' 21 1943- L. R. BucKENDALE INTERCHANGEABLE FRONT AND REAR DRIVE AXLE Original Filed Jan. 6. 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 mf/fence Z. Backe/14de L. R. BUCKEN DALE Dec. 21, 1948.

' INTERGHANGEABLE FRONT AND REAR DRIVE AXLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan. 6, 1943 /nven/'or i l .an/rence AZ uckenab/e a!" @may Dec. 2l, 1948. L. R. BUCKENDALE l INTERCHANGEABLE FRONT AND REAR DRIVE AXLE Original Filed Jan. 6., 1943 Dec. Z1, 1948. R. BUCKENDALE INTERCHANGEABLE FRONT AND REAR DRIVE AXLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Jan. 6, 1943 @Moz/nays Patented Dee. 21, 11MBl INTEBCHANGEABLE FRONT AND REAR DRIV EAXLE Lawrence R. Buckcndale, Detroit. Mich., assignor to The 'linken-Detroit Axle Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Ohio Original application January 6, 1943, Serial No. 471,494. Divided and this application March 19, 1945, Serial No. 593,548

4 Claims. (Cl. 180-71) The present invention relates to drive axles,

non-drive axles for four and six wheel drive vehicles, although it is not limited to such use.

The drive axles heretofore proposed for use in four and six wheel drive vehicles have been so designed and constructed that the front drive axle is of total dissimilar design than the rear drive axle, with the result that it is impossible to use any of the front drive axle parts in the rear axle, or to employ any of the rear axle parts in the front axle, with the possible exception of the Wheels. This not only materially adds the cost of manufacture, but also makes it necessary for servicing organizations to stock a complete line of parts for each axle. This lack of interchangeability of parts of the front and rear axles heretofore proposed has also led to series diniculties in the field, by keeping trucks out of service until the proper front or rear axl re placement part had been obtained, even thodgh a complete stock of parts for the other axle 'may have been available. l

I have found that by providing an axle housing having a bowl portion providing front andrear bolting faces, each designed to interchangeably support a carrier or a bowl cover, and providing the housing with end bolting faces spaced apart a predetermined distance, providing spring seats of special form to properly center and anchor either front or rear springs; and providing front steering drive end assemblies made up of aux..liary housings adapted to be secured to the hoi-.ising end bolting faces, and a pair of spindle assemblies mounted for steering movement on the fauxiliary housings, each carrying a hub and wheel assembly, and providing rear drive end assemblies each made up of a short housing extension adapted for direct bolting to the housing end bolting faces and carrying a hub and front wheel assembly, it is possible, by properly proportioning the parts, to successfully utilize the axle housing for either a front or rear axle by bolting a carrier to one of the bowl portion bolting faces and bolting the appropriate end assemblies to the end bolting faces of the housing.

It is accordingly the major object of the invention to provide novel front and rear drive axles which are so designed that many of the parts of the front axle are fully interchangeable with corresponding parts of the rear axle, thereby simplifying and materially reducing the' cost of manufacture, and greatly facilitating servicing of four and six Wheel drive vehicles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel drive axle housing having identical ends for interchangeable attachment of steer drive or non-steer drive wheel mounting assemblies and formed with an intermediate bowl portion open front and rear for selective attachment of a gear carrier or a bowl cover depending on whether the axle is used front or rear.

A further object is to provide a novel axle housing embodying spring pad assemblies which are so designed as to interchangeably support either front or rear springs, with the respective springs spaced different distances from the centerline of the axle.

Further subordinate objects are to provide an improved steering drive axle stop assembly; novel grease slinger assemblies for preventing ingress of 'lubricant to the brake drum; a novel trunnion `specification proceeds in conjunction with the annexed drawings, and from the appended claims.

In the drawings: f t

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a vehicle chassis embodying the novel front and rear drive axles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the chassis and .axle construction illustrated in Figure 1, the transmission transfer case and springs being omitted to simplify the disclosure;

Figure 3 isa vertical sectional view through the left-hand end of the front axle taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 2, parts of the structure being shown in elevation to simplify the disclosure;.

Figure 4 is a fragmental side elevational view of the front axle shown in Figures 1 and 2 as it appears when viewed from a point just behind the axle, with the gear carrier and spring removed, the bevel ring gear being illustrated in phantom lines;

Figure 5 is a fragmental sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4, and additionally illustrates the front spring in place of the spring pad and the anchoring clips or U-bolts;

Figure 6 is a fragmental top plan view of the structure illustrated in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmental top plan view illustrating the manner in which the stop screw on the steering arm cooperates with the stop bracket on the front axle housing;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view through one of the ends of the rear axle of the invention,

l taken lsubstantially on the tires being omitted to simplify the disclosure;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 4, but illustrates the left-hand end of the rear axle; and,

Figure 10 is a top plan` fragmental view of the spring pad structure shown inr vFigure 9, and additionally shows the rear spring in place on the spring pad, and the anchoring clips.

With continued reference to the drawings, inv which like reference characters have been emthe line 8-8 of Figure'lZ, v

anuncie' derives power from the vehicle engine in well known manner and transmits it through a coupling i5 to a transfer case I6. The transfer case may be of any suitable design and preferably includes a low ratio and a high ratio, controlled by a shifter rod I1, for transmitting power to an output shaft assembly I8, which extends through opposite walls of the case and carries universal joints I9 and 2l, which are connected to propeller shafts 22 and 23, respectively.

The structure just described is more or less conventional in present day four-wheel drive vehicles, but, as previously indicated, propeller shafts 22 and 23 are usually coupled to front and rear drive axles of totally different designs, inA

which substantially none of the parts of the rear axle correspond to, or are interchangeable with, any parts of the front axle.

I have found that by providing a center drive axle housing section terminating at its sends in bolting faces normal to the axis, providing novel spring pads for interchangeably receiving either the front or rear springs of a vehicle, providing a pairzf front drive end sections each made up of a short auxiliary housing adapted to be bolted to the axle bolting f'ace and each pivotally carrying a wheel supporting spindle assembly for steering movement on the ,auxiliary housing; 'and also providing a pair of rear axle end sections each made up of a spindle adapted to be rigidly secured to housing bolting anges, and having a rear wheel carrying hub journalled thereon; and by so designing the bowl portions of the axle that a gear carrier assembly may be bolted to either the front or rear face thereof, thoroughly practical, low 'cost front and rear axles maybe built up out of parts, of which many are interchangeable with the front and rear axles. Also," by providing a novel inverted Elliot type trunnion mounting, in which the required shear is taken in plain bearings, a spindle and hub assembly may be utilized in which it is possible to interchange the brake and brake mechanism of the front and rear axles, and to also utilize a hub which may be installed in one position in the front axle or be reversed and successfully installed in the rear axle.

Taking up the construction of the front axle rst, coupled to propeller shaft 23 by means of a universal joint 24, is a gear carrier 25 which is secured to a bolting face 2B of axle bowl portion 29 by cap screws 28, in well known manner. As seen in Figures 2 and 4, bowl portion 29 of axle housing 21 is oiset one side of the centerline of the axle, and while this construction is preferred,

as it permits the front propeller shaft and front axle bowl to be disposed to one side of the engine. it is to be'undervs'tood that the invention is not limited to axles-having. offset bowls. 4 g

An vexactly similarbolting face 3i' is provided on the front of the axle bowl portion, and av cover 32 is secured thereto in well known manner. will be pointed out hereinafter, thesame axle center section may be used in a'rear axle, when the gear carrier 25 and cover 32 are'rev'ersed, and different housing end sections are used.

Carrier 25 rotatably supports meshing `pinion 33 and bevel ringgear 34 in well known manner, and a differential (not shown) divides the power between long and' short front axle shafts 35 and 36, respectively.

As seen in Figure 2, a pair of spring pads or seats 38 and'39 are integrally .formed on housing 21, pad 38 being located closely adjacent the bowl and pad 39 being located remote therefrom.

Since both the pads are of identical construction except that one is right-handed and the other left-handed, only p ad 38 Will be described in detail. 'Referring toFigures 4, 5 ando, the pad' is preferably provided with integral reinforcing webs 4i, which merge finto the side walls of the housing. As seen in Figure 6, pad 38 is provided with two spring centering recesses 42 and 43.

Front axle spring II has a dowel 44 seating'in recess 43,v which accurately centers it with respect to two pairs of U-bolt openings 45 and 45 in the spring pad. The spring is secured in place on the pad by means of a pair of anchoring clips or U-bolts 41, and nuts 48 in well known manner.

As seen in Figure 5, the upper surface of the spring pad slopes downwardly and rearwardly with respect to the horizontal plane at an angle X, preferably in the order of 2v30, for the purpose of producing a similar degree of caster in the front axle trunnions.

A second pair of U-bolt openings 49 and 5I are also provided in spring seats 33 and cooperate with centering recess 42 to properly locate a rear spring on the axle housing when it is employed as a rear axle housing, as will be hereinafter pointed out.

Axle housing 21 terminates at each end in an enlarged portion providing a bolting face 53, to which flanged auxiliary housing sections 54 are secured by stud and nut assemblies 55. Since the ends of the axle are identical in construction, only one of them, namely, the leftfront end assembly, will be described in detail. A steer arm stop pad is secured to the ilange of housing 54 by means of a pair of stud and nut assemblies 51, the studs being threaded into -bosses 58 provided in housing 21, and also assisting in maintaining the two housing sections' ball portion 6I, having a lubricant filler fitting 62. Tightly fitted in aligned bores in ball portion 6I are a pair of bushings 63, in which the novel trunnion assemblies of the invention are journalled in the manner to be now described. The spindle and wheel assembly is carried by a hollow housing 64 of generally cylindrical form,

detachably secured thereto by can screws 1I. A tie rod arm projects from the rear side of. housing 64 and carries a stop screw assembly 10a, which coacts with stop member 55 to limit swinging movement of the spindle. y

As seen in Figure 3, cap member 60 is provided with an opening providing a comparatively long bearing surface in which a hardened, high strength trunnion pin 16 is tightly tted. The friction nt between trunnion pin 16 and the cap is preferably so great as to make it unnecessary to employ a key or other means for fastening it in place. The fitting of the pin in place is preferably carried out by "freezing" the trunnion pin in dry ice, to cause itvto contract. and to then insert it in an opening in the cap just large enough to receive it, and the temperatures then permitted to normalize. This effects an extremely rigid connection between the cap and pin. It is to be particularly observed that the trunnion pin extends entirely"through the cap, with the result that the latter firmly supports the pin throughout its length, and adequately re sists the shearing load to which it is subjected in operation, since the stresses are uniformly distributed along the pin and high unit pressures avoided.

The pin is also preferably provided with a tapped opening 11 into which a lubricant fitting of any well known character may be screwed, for supplyinglubricant through a longitudinal passage 18 and a communicating cross-passage 19, to the working or journalled portion of the pin in bushing 63.

Member 68 is also provided with an accurately formed thrust bearing face 6|, which coacts with a similarly formed face 62 on housing 54. If after assembling the mechanism a clearance exceeding 15 thousandths of an inch is found to exist between faces 8| and 62, a number of shims 83 are preferably inserted to bring the clearanc or end play within this range.

Snugly fitted within lower opening 66 of housing 64 is the piloting portion 65 of a lower cap 86, which is provided with a flange 91 secured to a flat face 88 on housing 54 by means of a plurality of cap screws 89. A lower trunnion pin 9| is tightly secured in an opening 92 in cap 66 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the upper trunnion, and is also provided with passages 93, 94 and 95, through whichl lubricant may be fed to the portion of the pin journalled in bushing 63.

Cap 86 is also provided with a recess or counterbore 91 in which the lower race 99 of a roller thrust bearing 99 is seated. Upper race l`l||| and lower race 98 of the bearing are maintained in assembled relationship by a retainer |02, and the latter seats against a flat bearing face 103 provided on housing 54.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have devised a novel trunnion and spinde mounting which makes it possible to employ a housing 54 of inexpensive material, for instance, cast malleable, such as National No. 6, can be successfully used and yet trunnion pin failures avoided, while thrust bearing 99 takes substantially the entire thrust load, facilitating steering. Also, the use of plain bearings simplifies and reduces the size of the parts to such an extent as to make it entirely feasible to employ an inverted Elliot trunnion assembly of sufficiently small size to make possible the use of a spindle so dimensioned as to take a hub interchangeable with the hub of the rear axle.

vice for guarding against injury to the boot, comprising a member |08 having an annular portion seating against ange 81 of cap 86, and

secured under the heads of cap screws 89. Member |03 is also provided with an upwardly curving finger |08', which overlies the lower portion of the boot and adequately protects it against injury.

Secured to a bolting face |09 on spindle housing 64, which is preferably so inclined with respect to the trunnion axis as to impart a predetermined degree of camber to the spindle, is the Y flange of a. tubular spindle ||2, by means of cap screws (not shown). By reason of the large diameter spindle housing 64 the close coupled relationship of the parts provided by the novel plain bearing trunnion assembly of the invention, spindle |'|2 may be given such dimensions that the hub, as well as many of the other parts of the front axle, are interchangeable with corresponding parts of the rear axle, as will hereinafter appear.

'I'he novel interchangeable hub ||3 of the invention is journalled on a pair of spaced antifriction roller bearings 4 and H5. lAs seen in Figure 3, bearing ||5 has an inner race ||6 seating on a large diameter portion of the spindle, and an outer race ||1 located in the hub and seating against a shoulder ||8. Bearing ||4 has an inner race ||9 seating on a reduced diameter portion of the spindle, but, as seen in Figure 3, it is considerably thicker than race ||6 of bearing H5, so as to compensate for the difference in spindle diameters and make it possible to utilize an outer race |2| of the same diameter as outer race ||1 of bearing ||5. Outer race |2| is carried in a seat in the hub and bears against an internal flange |22. Internal flanges ||8 and |22 are preferably spaced the same distance from the ends of the hub, and the bearing seats in the hub are of the same diameter, so as to render the hub reversible upon the spindle for interchangeable installation in the rear axle.

The hub is driven from axle shaft 36 by means of a universal joint |24 located in the ball portion of housing 54 and a stub shaft |25, to which is splined a cap member |26, having a sleeve portion |26 extending inwardly between the wall of spindle ||2 and shaft |25. The latter is retained on the shaft by a split ring |21 sprung into a groove at the end of the shaft and seating a recess in the cap. A compression spring, |28, reacting against the inner end of the cap sleeve |26' and acting against a seal |29 and a shoulder |3| on the shaft, constantly urges shaft |25 inwardly. While the spring is sufficiently strong to prevent endwise float of the shaft under normal conditions, it will yield under suiliciently high thrusts andY permit endwise movement of the shaft assembly to avoid binding and possibly damaging the parts.

Cap |26 is provided with a piloting flange |32, which snugly fits a piloting surface |33 in the hub, and the cap is rigidly secured to the hub by a plurality of studs |34, threaded in the tapped openings |35 in the hub, and nuts |36.

' race ||6 and a shoulder on the spindle.

A plurality of exactly similar and matching element |39 cooperating with a lubricant seal |4I, the latter being clamped between bearing fitting into surface |38 is a grease slinger |42.

Hub |3 is `also provided with an external bolting flange |44, offset from hub centerline |41 unequal distances |45 and |46 from the ends of the hub, for the purpose of adapting it for either front or rear axle installations. Wheel piloting surfaces |48 and |49, located either side of flange |44, provide for interchangeable installation of the hub in the rear axle, to establish proper tracking of the wheels, as will be hereinafter explained,

Secured to a plurality of circumferentially spaced studs i 5| anchored in flange |44, by means of nuts |52. are a brake drum |53 and a wheel |54, the latter being accurately piloted on pilot `surface |48. As seen in Figure 3, centerline |55 of the wheel rim lies closely adjacent the inner face of the spindle flange III, and the axis of the trunnion pins, when projected, lies slightly inside the inter-section of the rim centerline |55 with the ground for facilitating steering in well known manner.

Also..

Secured to the spindle flange by means of cap screws |51 is a lubricant receiving member |58 and a brake ,foundation plate |59. Member |58 is loosely telescoped over member |42 and is adapted to catch lubricant thrown therefrom and conduct it to a plurality of radial passages |6| provided in the spindle flange, and deliver it to a point outside of the brake foundation plate, thereby preventing it from reaching the brake shoes.

Foundation plate |59 is provided with a pe-` ripheral flange |62 tting loosely intoa groove |63 in the inner edge of the brake drum wall, for excluding extraneous material in well known manner. The brake mechanism comprises an anchor pin |64 secured in a boss |65 on the foun-v dationv plate and locked against rotation by a nut |66. The anchor pin is provided with an l eccentric portion |61 on whicha brake abutment l member |68 is pivoted, the brake shoe actuating lever assembly having portions |69 and |1| `secured in place on the anchor pin either side of abutment member |68. The novel axle assemblies of the invention make it possible to use the samebrake in both the front and rear axles betionship to the front wheels.

From the foregoing it is apparent that there is provided a thoroughly practical, eflicient and rugged front drive axle of simple design, in which an inverted Elliot type spindle and trunnion. as-

sembly is utilized, and in which, by reason of the novel cap and hardened trunnion pin assembly, the required shear loads are adequately taken permits extremely close coupling of the parts and utilization of a spindle designed to permit use 0f a hub interchangeable with the front and rear axles. Also, the novel trunnion assemblyA makes it possible to use inexpensive material for the bail and auxiliaryhousings, and yet the construction provides -as much or more load carrylng capacity, and is Just as durable as the more expensive constructions embodying tapered roller bearings and expensive alloy housings heretofore proposed. l

The rearv axle of the invention will now be described, and since many of the parts are of identical size and shape of corresponding parts in the front axle, in order to simplify the disclosure, and to also clearly illustrate the interchangeability of the various parts, the same reference characters, with the subscript a, will be applied to the parts of the rear axle which correspond to, and which are interchangeable with, lthe parts of the front axle.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, rear axle housing 21a is Adisposed in the same relationship to the frame as the front axle, namely with the bowl portion 29a disposed to the same side of the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle, but in this instance carrier 25a is bolted to the front face 3| a of the housing, (the carrier being turned around in a horizontal plane without inversion) to dispose ring gear 34a to the left of the centerline of propeller shaft 22, with the result that the latter, through universal joint 24a and pinion 33a, will propel the vehicle forwardly when propeller shafts 22 and 23 are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figures 1 and 2. In the rear axle cover 32a is bolted to rear bowl face 26a. The rear axle is providedv with long and short axle shafts |8| and |82, which fit into the carrier assembly 25a in the samemanner as the shafts of Figure 1, but they are not interchangeable therewith for reasons that will hereinafter appear.

Each rear axle spring I2 is bolted to seat 38a by U-bolts or clips passing through openings 49a and 5|a, the spring being centered over opening 42a to locate it closer to the outer end of the axle (as seen in Figure 10) than in the front axle. There is no need to shim up the spring pads because the 2 30' inclination thereof does not. result in a tilt of the axle sufficient to adversely affect -voperation thereof.

With particular reference to Figure 8, hub I 3a is journalled in bearings ||4a and |5a on the spindle in a manner similar to the hub of the front axle, except that it has been reversed endfor-end, so as to dispose its flange |44a inwardly or to the right of the centerline |41a of the hub, the brake drum I53a and dual wheels |54a being secured in place onA the flange in a manner similar to the corresponding elements of the front axle. The bearings ||4a and |5a are also reversed in position with respect to flange |44 of Figure 3. It is noted in Figure 2 that the centerline :|85 of the dual wheel assembly is disposed directly in line with the centerline o f the single -wheel of the front axle, thus securing proper care of by means of plain bearings in the housing ball, and at the same time the construction tracking of the wheels. This is achieved by reversing Athe hub and flange, as just discussed, andy 9 also by giving spindle |83 the proper overall axial length with respect to bolting flange 53a of the center axle housing section. If it is desired to employ single rather than dual wheels on the rear axle the hubs may be installed without reversing them end-for-endA with respect to the front axle hubs.

Since brake drum |53a and wheels IMa cooperate with piloting surface 9a of the hub in exactly the same manner as in the front axle,

' they are fully interchangeable with the front axle wheels and brake drums. Inversion of the hub as just described of course makes it necessary to secure studs |34a in openings |3la of the hub rather than openings Illia. Axle shaft |82 is provided with a flange |90 having openings matching those of cap |26 of the front axle assembly and is secured in place in the same manner by nuts |36a.

The brake foundation plate |59a is secured by means of rivets |81 to a flange |88 on the spindle,

andere and since the brake mechanism is similar to and interchangeable with the corresponding front axle brake, Similar reference characters have been applied thereto. of the rivets |87 is a modified member|89 for receiving lubricant thrown from slinger |42a and adapted to divert it from the interior of the brake drum in a manner similar to the corresponding element |58 of the front axle. ferent form of lubricant receiver is made necessary in the rear axle because of the somewhat greater axial spacing of the bolting flange from the end of hub 3a.

From the foregoing detailed disclosure of the invention it is apparent that front and rear drive axles of novel construction are provided embodying center sections which may be readily utilized to build up either front steer drive axles or rear non-steering drive axles by substitution of steering or non-steering end assemblies, and that by reason of the construction of the end assemblies, many of the parts of one end assembly are interchangeable with corresponding parts of the other, thereby materially reducing manufacturing costs and servicing difficulties, it only being necessary to stock a minimum number of parts to service either front or rear drive axles, and that aside from spindle |83, axle shaft |82, and member |89, all the elements of the rear axle are freely interchangeable with the corresponding elements of the front axle.

While I have illustrated the invention as being applied to a four wheel drive vehicle, it is to be understood that it is equally applicable to six Wheel drive vehicles. For instance, a second rear axle, identical with the one illustrated, may be installed behind the one shown and be driven in any well known manner. Also, if desired, the center housing section of the second rear axle may be rotated through 180 in a horizontal plane so as to offset the bowl to the other side of the vehicle centerline. Moreover, while A'bevel type gear carriers have been shown, it is to be understood that worm gear, double reduction or other gear carriers may bev used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

'Ihe invention may be embodied in other specic forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. 'I'he present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, lthe scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims ratherthan by the foregoing description, and all changes which come Within the Also secured under the heads y A somewhat difl0 meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

'I'his is a division of my application Serial No. 471,494, illed January 6, 1943, now United States Letters Patent No. 2,392,832, issued January 15, 1946.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An interchangeable front and rear drive axle housing structure for a vehicle comprising an intermediate enlarged differential receiving portion and hollow axle housing arms extending in opposite directions from saidl differential receiving portion, a'drive wheel assembly attachment flange at the outer end of each axle housing arm, said flanges being equidistant from the longitudinal vehicle center line, means for adapting said axle housingstruct'ure for interchangeable use as a front steer drive or rear non-steer drive axle housing without rotation of said housing structure in any direction, comprising substantially identical and parallel bolting faces surrounding aligned front and rear openings in said diierential receiving portion for attachment thereto oi a differential gear carrier or a closure bowl depending on whether the axle housing is used front or rear, and spring seats on the upper sides of said axle housing arms between 'said differential receiving portion and said attachment iianges, said spring seats having means for locating spring attachment means at different distances apart on the housing depending upon whether the axle housing is used for a front or rear drive axle.

2. In combination with'the drive axle housing defined in claim l, a pair of endunits attached a rigidly attached short hollow auxiliary housing having a iiange mated with the axle associated housing flange, a spindle swingable on the auxiliary housing and a wheel assembly journaled on said spindle.

3. In combination with the drive axle housing defined in claim l, a pair of end units attached to the respective axle housing flanges for adapting the housing yas a rear non-steer drive axle, each comprising a rigidly attached hollow auxiliary housing having a iiange mated with the associated axle housing flange, and a wheel assembly journaled thereon.

. 4. An interchangeable front and rear drive axle housing structure for a vehicle-comprising an intermediate enlarged differential receiving portion and hollow axle housing arms extending in opposite directions from said diifeerntial receiving portion, a drive wheel assembly attachment flange at the outer end of each axle housing arm, said flanges being equidistant from the longitudinal vehicle center line and said differential receiving portion being offset to one side of said center line, means for adapting said axle housing structure for interchangeable use as a front steer drive or rear non-steer drive axle housing without rotation of the housing in any direction so as to dispose said differential' receiving portion on the same side of said vehicle center line regardless of whether the housing is used for the front or rear drive axle comprising substantially identical and parallel bolting faces surrounding aligned front and rear openings in said differential receiving portion for attachment thereto of a differential gear carrier or a closure bowl depending upon whether the axle housing is used front or rear, and spring seats on the upper sides of said housing arms between the l1 differential receiving ment viianges, said spring seats having means for locating spring attachment means different distances apart on the housing depending upon whether the housing is used for a front or rear 5 drive axle.

LAWRENCE R. BUCKENDALE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: e

portion and said attach- Number 10 Number 12 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Johnson Jan. 14, 1919 Wiebicke July 2, 1=940 Spetta Feb. 17, 1942 Bock July 14, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country vDate France Aug. 9, k192'? (1st Add. tu 621,447) 

